Capstone Research Competition

In my previous blog What Is Capstone? I describe my senior capstone course as an art major.

Description

My project will be a recycled paper company that creates everyday stationery products with recycled, compostable, and eco-friendly materials.

In this blog, I have included research of companies that exist with my concept in mind. The three main competitors I chose to focus on are Paper Culture, New Leaf Paper, and Bloomin.

Competitor 1: Paper Culture

I chose this brand because their paper products are made from recycled paper and they also plant a tree with every order.

Their angle is battling climate change by using eco-friendly products and has planted over 1,000,000 trees. A project I take inspiration from is building tree and vegetable farms with the funds made and putting them in struggling communities around the world. On their website, they focus on making various cards for holidays, graduations, and weddings. We have a similar tone in our style outlook and care for the environment.

Brand Analysis

1. Each product is made with 100% recycled paper
2. With each order, a tree is planted
3. By using post-consumer recycled paper, bamboo, organic and recycled cotton they help reduce their carbon footprint.

Competitor 2: New Leaf Paper

I selected this brand because of their attention to basic stationary items that are made from 100% recycled materials.

This company’s angle is teaching the benefits of making environmentally responsible paper choices and educating the marketplace about the imperative of changing our behavior today in order to manifest a sustainable paper industry tomorrow. I take inspiration from how this company strives to be more conscious of its choices and spread of information and alternatives to modern-day marketplaces.

Brand Analysis

1. Each product is made with 100% recycled paper
2. With each order, a tree is planted
3. They strive to educate their community about the importance of paper and environmentally-conscious choices

Competitor 3: Bloomin

I selected this company because its paper has seeds embedded inside it.

Their angle is giving people a second life for their paper. I take inspiration from this company because they make their paper from recycled paper and then puts seeds in them for them to be planted in the future. Our visions are similar because I want to make a product that mindful of its life after we are done with it. This company does this by putting a variety of seeds into their paper to be later planted when used.

Brand Analysis

1. Bloomin has recently joined the B Corp community, B Corps (or Benefit Corporations) are for-profit companies that have adopted a new type of company structure, to ultimately solve social and environmental problems.
2. Bloomin Paper is packed with flowers, vegetables, herbs, grass, tree, and wide other varieties of seeds. It’s easy to grow and cultivate!
3. When printed, most sheets are printed with water-soluble 4-color process inks or soy-based inks, when letterpress printed. If the packaging is required, they use corn-based packaging. Their production facility is powered by a 30KW solar power system–enough for all energy needs and extra.

Why it Matters to Me

By looking at existing competitors I am able to form my own ideas and brand direction based on them. This project matters to me because I wish to see more things geared towards environmental aid. Paper is one of those things that will not go away, and the more we retreat from using trees as a main source for paper and more recyclables, I feel we will have more insight on how to reuse our waste in a way that can benefit us and Earth.